Magnetic switches with magnetically coupled armatures provide a compact, reliable and durable switching function. These switches offer a very slim profile, low weight, economical assembly, and are used in an increasing number of applications in a variety of environments. They combine the tactile feel of a bulky mechanical switch with the compactness of a conventional membrane switch. Magnetically coupled switches of this general type are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,523,730, 5,666,096 and 5,867,082, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. While switches with magnetically coupled armatures already have many applications, it is advantageous to expand the applications of such switches even further, and the present invention relates to a magnetic rocker switch, suitable for a large variety of applications, with a unique rocker armature that is magnetically coupled to a sheet magnet coupler layer. The unique rocker armature may also be held in one or more actuated positions by a sheet magnet coupler layer or layers (magnetically held in each actuated position by being coupled to a sheet magnet coupler layer) after being actuated into the position by an actuating force applied to the rocker armature by the user.
There are numerous uses and needs for magnetic pushbutton switches of the type shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,523,730, 5,666,096 and 5,867,082. These magnetic pushbutton switches are characteristically designed to be momentary switches that momentarily affect the logic of external electronics connected to the switches. Once the applied actuating force of a user is released from the pushbutton switch armature of such magnetic switches, the switch armature does not remain in the actuated position, but is returned to its initial position by the magnetic attraction of a coupler magnet. In being returned to its initial position, with the armature held by the coupler magnet, there is typically a return of the logic of the external electronics connected to the switch to its initial state. Rocker switches do not have this limitation. However, most rocker switches, like the rocker switch of U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,096, with its relatively thick permanent magnets, are either bulky or lack the tactile feel of a magnetically coupled pushbutton switch.
As mentioned above, the present invention relates to a magnetic rocker switch and, more specifically, to a magnetic rocker switch with a unique rocker armature that is magnetically coupled to a sheet magnet coupler layer or magnetically held in an actuated position by being coupled to a sheet magnet coupler layer after being actuated into the position by an actuating force applied to the armature by a user. Furthermore, the rocker switch of the present invention is compact; provides a tactile feel; and, in preferred embodiments, includes a unique armature illumination system and/or sheet magnet coupler layer, such as a sheet magnet coupler layer with electrical conductors formed directly on the sheet magnet coupler layer.
The magnetic rocker switch of the present invention includes a unique rocker armature made of an electrically conductive magnetic material and one or more sheet magnet coupler layers for actuating the rocker armature into and/or out of shorting relationship with electrical conductors of the switch and/or holding the rocker armature in and/or out of shorting relationship with electrical conductors of the switch. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cswitchxe2x80x9d includes devices for closing, opening, or changing the connections in an electrical circuit; the term xe2x80x9cmagnetic materialxe2x80x9d means a magnet or a material that is affected by a magnet; and the term xe2x80x9celectrical conductorsxe2x80x9d includes electrodes, resistor elements, and spaced electrical contacts or pads. Electrical leads connect the electrical conductors of the switch to electronics that are external to the switch. The electrical conductors are arranged within the switch so that the electrically conductive magnetic armature of the switch is movable into and out of shorting relationship with the electrical conductors and for some switches, movable relative to one electrical conductor while in contact with another electrical conductor, e.g. a resistor element of a potentiometer, to change the resistance of a circuit or otherwise change the circuit logic for a circuit incorporating the switch.
The unique rocker armature of the magnetic rocker switch of the present invention, which as mentioned above is electrically conductive and made of a magnetic material, has at least two faces joined by a common vertex. The magnetic attraction between a sheet magnet coupler layer of the switch and the armature holds a first face of the armature in engagement with the sheet magnet coupler layer or a layer overlaying the sheet magnet coupler layer (e.g., a layer such as but not limited to an electrically nonconductive layer with electrical conductors thereon). An actuating force applied by a user to another face of the armature causes corresponding movement of the armature""s first face to a position into or out of electrical shorting relationship with electrical conductors of the switch and, as the actuating force is applied by a user, the user feels a crisp, tactile snap as the first face of the armature breaks away from the sheet magnet coupler layer. In certain embodiments of the invention, when the actuating force exerted by the user is released, the rocker armature is returned to its initial position and held there by the magnetic attraction of the sheet magnet coupler layer. In these embodiments of the switch, a different face of the rocker armature may be brought into contact with a surface of a nonmagnetic layer that may or may not have electrical conductors thereon. In other embodiments of the invention, when an actuating force is applied to the armature by a user, the movement of the armature places a different face of the armature in contact with another surface of the sheet magnet coupler layer or a layer overlaying the sheet magnet coupler layer (these layers may or may not have electrical conductors thereon) and after the actuating force is released, the armature is held in that new position by the magnetic attraction of the other surface of the sheet magnet coupler layer; or the movement of the armature places a different face of the armature in contact with a second sheet magnet coupler layer that is located in a plane other than the plane containing the first sheet magnet coupler layer or a layer overlaying the second sheet magnet coupler layer (these layers may or may not have electrical conductors thereon) and after the actuating force is released, the armature is held in that new position by the magnetic attraction of the second sheet magnet coupler layer. In either of the switches discussed in the previous sentence, the movement of the armature into the new position may bring another face of the rocker armature into contact with a surface of a nonmagnetic layer that may or may not have electrical conductors thereon.
In a preferred embodiment of the magnetic rocker switch of the present invention, the one or more sheet magnet coupler layers of the switch are essentially electrically nonconductive and the electrical conductors may be formed directly on a surface of each of the one or more sheet magnet coupler layers included in the switch. In another preferred embodiment of the magnetic rocker switch of the present invention, one or more faces of the armature are selectively illuminated to indicate a certain switch condition.